New Fibromyalgia Ruling from the Social Security Administration

By Law Office of Jennifer Zorrilla of Law Office of Jennifer Zorrilla posted in Fibromyalgia on Friday, August 3, 2012.

Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. This condition has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety.

These claims have always been challenging, but the good news is the Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued a new ruling, SSA 12-2p, which became effective July 25, 2012. This ruling "provides guidance on how we develop evidence to establish that a person has a medically determinable impairment...and how we evaluate fibromyalgia in disability claims and continuing disability reviews under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act."

Social Security Ruling 12-2p states that "fibromyalgia is a medically determinable impairment when it is established by appropriate medical evidence and that it can be the basis for a finding of disability. A claimant who alleges disability...must have a diagnosis by a licensed physician (medical or osteopathic doctor) and evidence of the criteria from either 'the 1990 American College of Rheumatology Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia' or 'the 2010 American College of Rheumatology Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria.'"

The Social Security Administration also may consider additional medical evidence pursuant to SSR 06-3p to help them evaluate the severity and functional effects of this condition.

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The Law Office of Jennifer Zorrilla, located in San Diego, California, handles appeals for the denial of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. It also serves clients in Rancho Bernardo, Del Mar, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Mission Valley, National City, Santee, El Cajon and across San Diego County and Southern California.